Devotion and Sacrifice by Danyealle-sama

Chapter 2 Come Back Kagome

Chapter 2

Come Back Kagome

The next day, about mid-morning, Sesshomaru left Edo and walked to the well.  When he got there he looked down into its’ depths and ran everything his pack had heard about the mikos’ time through his mind.   When he was prepared as he was going to be he clutched a hold of the small jewel shard he had then leaped into the well.  Rather than hitting bottom as he had anticipated he was engulfed in some kind of blue energy.  Then, when it vanished, his feet hit the ground.  Without even looking up he could tell he was no longer in his time.  Everything smelled different and the air was much fouler plus it was loud.  Shutting his eyes, he let his senses adjust then he jumped out of the well.  It was enclosed in some kind of hut but he was able to locate the door and let himself out. 

Kagomes’ mother was outside sweeping when she felt something very unfamiliar dance down the back of her neck.  Though she although she didn’t have Kagomes’ miko powers she had enough to know this was a youkai aura, one far more powerful than Inuyashas’ had been.  Straightening up, she turned around and saw the most gorgeous ‘man’ she had ever laid eyes on walking out of the well house.  Instantly it clicked and she knew who he was, it had to be Lord Sesshomaru.  Smiling, she greeted him then said, “You must be here to see Kagome.”

Walking over to her, Sesshomaru looked down at her, he assumed that this was the mikos’ mother because they looked quite similar.  Nodding, he asked, “Yes.  Is she here?”

“Oh yes.  Come with me.”  She said, sitting the broom aside then lead him to the house. 

Following, he took in all the strange things around him, filing them away to be asked about at a later time. 

Once inside she had him follow her upstairs.  Stopping at her daughters’ door, she knocked softly, “Kagome, you have company dear.”

“Alright mom, come in.” Came a voice that Sesshomaru could easily place, it was most certainly the little miko.

Opening the door, the older woman gestured for him to enter.  After he stepped in she shut the door behind her then went back down stairs.

Kagome was sitting at her desk with just a small lamp burning, doing her homework, when a very familiar aura assaulted her senses.  Finishing what she was jotting down, she steeled herself against what was to come.  Putting her pen down when she was done then she turned to look at the familiar taiyoukai.  In the low light, the blinds and curtains were shut and the overhead light was off, Sesshomarus’ pristine whites and silver hair seemed to almost glow.  Swallowing thickly, eyes beginning to burn from the tears that were starting to form because she was reminded of Inuyasha.  Shaking that off, she said in a soft, quiet voice, “Sesshomaru, if you’ve come for Tetsusaiga it’s in my closet.  You can have it.”

“No miko, it was Inuyashas’ wish that you have it and I’ll respect that.”  He told her quietly, using the same tone of voice that he used with Rin when the child was upset.  “That isn’t why I’ve come.”

Sighing, she shook her head, “Call me Kagome.  I’m not a miko in this time.  Youkai, mikos and hanyous’ are nothing more than legends or fairytales now.”  Standing up, she gestured for him to take a seat then she plopped on the bed.  Drawing her knees up, feet flat on the mattress, she wrapped her arms around her shins and hugged her legs, resting her chin on her knees.  Training her big doe eyes on him she asked, “Why are you here then?”

It was obvious from the look on her face and how her eyes held a sad, haunted look that told him she hadn’t finished mourning yet.  Her aura spoke of heartbreak and pain.  She was thinner now than when he had last seen her and the spark and fire that he had secretly admired from afar was in hiding.  Not one to beat around the bush he got right to the point.  “I’ve come to bring you back.”

Groaning, she shut her eyes and shook her head, “No, I’m not ever going back.  I can’t deal with it any more.”

“Mi-Kagome, we need you.  There’s no way we can defeat Naraku without your help.”  He said honestly, leaning forward and looking intently at her face.

Opening her eyes, she gave him a sad, defeated look, “Don’t you get it?  Naraku’s already won.  We keep fighting him but he keeps staying at least one step head of us.”

“No!”  He said firmly.  “We can defeat him.  You alone have almost totally destroyed him.  You can detect the shards and purify them.  He can’t do that.”

“Sesshomaru, in the end he’s going to win because he has no honor of any kind or a conscience so he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.  The best I can do is stay here with the shards I have so he’ll never complete the jewel.”

“I cannot and will not accept that there’s no way to defeat a mere hanyou!” he said gruffly, trying not to let his rising temper and frustration at her defeatist attitude show.

A single tear slid down her cheek, “In the end he will win.  He will end up the victor even if we can at least hold him to a stand still.  He’ll just pick us off one by one or destroy everyone we care about until none of us are left.  Kikyo, Inuyasha, Sangos’ family and entire village, Miroku’s’ wind tunnel that will kill him just like it did his father, Kouga’s comrades, not to mention countless innocent people, mostly humans.  All because of Naraku.”  Then the tears began to fall and she buried her face in her knees and began to sob softly. 

Sighing, he looked at the floor.  When planning this he hadn’t anticipated that she was still hurting.  Standing, he patted her on the shoulder, much like he does Rin, then left the room.  No, he wasn’t going to give up attempting to persuade her he was just going to give her some more time was all.  In the state she was in it would have been useless to even attempt it anymore today.

Retracing his steps, he found himself once again in what he perceived to be the kitchen.  The mikos’ mother was sitting at the table, sipping what smelled like tea.

Looking up when he entered she smiled at him.  “Were you able to talk her into going back?”

Arching an eyebrow, he looked at her.  He didn’t know how she knew that was his intent but he didn’t question it.  “No, she doesn’t appear to be ready to return just yet.”

Brow furrowed, she looked down into her cup then asked, “Do you have to leave right away?”

“No.  Why?”  He asked, genuinely curious.

“Well… if you can stay a while I’ll try talking to her when she calms down.”

His other eyebrow arched up to the one already plastered to his forehead but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.  “I can stay.”  He told her stoically. 

Smiling, she stood up.  “Please, have a seat.  Would you like some tea?  Or some orange juice?”

Seating himself at the table, he accepted the glass she gave him.  The miko used to bring along oranges for Rin.  After trying the fruit he had found it to his liking.  A couple drinks later he found the juice to be good as well.  While he drank he took the opportunity to ask about things he had seen that were unfamiliar to him.  She explained things to the best of her ability.  After that she took him into the living room and put a DVD in, the cartoon Beauty and the Beast because she remembered Kagome telling her that he had thought she made up the whole story after hearing her tell it to Rin.  Then she went upstairs to talk to her daughter.

From the start to the end credits the taiyoukai had been engrossed in the animated film.  So engrossed in fact that he jumped a bit when the miko, who was standing in the doorway, said, “See?  I told you I didn’t make it up.”

Looking at her, he smirked then replied, “It does appear I was in error on that count.”

Sighing, she looked down at the floor.  “Will you take a walk with me please?”

“Yes.”  He said standing.  “Lead the way.” Sensing a change in her from the time he had left her room he was now curious to see if she had changed her mind as well.

Following, she led him outside to some benches near a huge tree.  She sat down, looking at the ground.

Sitting beside her, he waited.

Sighing, she looked up and watched the wind ripple the leaves.  “Do you know what tree this is Sesshomaru?”

Glancing at it, he shook his head, “No.”

“This is the Gods’ Tree, where Inuyasha is buried.”  She told him quietly.

Flinching, he looked at her.  Honestly, he hadn’t placed where they were standing as having any relation at all to his time because it was so different.

Sitting there, quiet for a couple minutes, she then continued on.  “I didn’t leave to escape Sesshomaru.  I can’t escape it.  Every time I look out my bedroom window I can see this tree and know it’s my best friends’ grave.  Every time I leave the shrine I have to walk by it.  I can’t escape or avoid it, no matter how much I might want to.

“I didn’t know.”  He said quietly.  It was no wonder she was still in mourning, was his thought.  She had no way of sitting things aside and not be faced with the evidence every day.  Every day she was reminded of Inuyasha.

With a deep sigh, she looked at him.  “I’ve changed my mind, I’ll go back with you but I need you to promise me a couple things.”

Unsure of what her mother had said to her to get her change her mind but he was grateful to her.  “What are those?”  Knowing her, they probably wouldn’t be anything he would object to.

“I need to come home once in a while for tests and other thing. I don’t want to have to argue or fight with you about it like I did Inuyasha.”

“You won’t, I assure you.”  He said firmly.

“Next, my name is Kagome. Not wench, bitch, moron, stupid or any other such name.  I would ask that you please use my name.”

Having heard some of the hanyous’ choice names for her in the past he could easily understand where she came from.  “Understood.”  He said, nodding.

“The next couple are more requests than promises, one from me and one from mom.  Mine is if Kouga shows up could you please talk to him about the ‘my woman’ bit?  I’ve told him repeatedly I’m not and he just doesn’t listen!  At this point in time I can’t deal with that.”  She told him with a deep sigh.

He readily agreed to the request and would handle it.  Especially since Kouga was now traveling with them.

Shifting around she, sighed.  “When I started traveling with Inuyasha mom wrangled an assurance from him that he would do his best to protect me.  She’s going to ask the same from you.  Yes, she’s going to ask you herself but I thought you would like to know ahead of time.”

Of all the things she could request that was the easiest to fulfill.  As a member of his ‘pack’, and what would be considered the alpha female, he was honor and duty bound to protect her.  “I will give you and your mother my word of honor that I will protect you to the best of my ability.”  He told her firmly.

Nodding, she stood up, “Thank you Sesshomaru.  Let’s go back to the house so I can start getting things ready.  I hope it’s OK if we leave in the morning rather than tonight.”

“That’s acceptable.”  He said, putting a hand on her shoulder.  He was finding himself both relieved and a bit stunned that he had accomplished his mission with a lot less effort than he thought he would need.

Before making their way to the house, she looked over her shoulder at the tree.  He could hear her mutter softly, “See?  I’m no coward Inuyasha.”  Then they made their way to the house.